Confused Emotions
by ButtercupSaiyan
Summary: Buttercup has been acting a little strange lately, and she meets a boy ... but is he really all that he seems ... ?
1. Default Chapter

Confused Emotions  
by ButtercupSaiyinjin  


Author's note: My first real (posted) story, and I'm a little nervous about introducing a new character, and hoping that most fans won't resent that. I was sick of having seeing every PpG fic resurrect the RowdyRuff boys as a love interest, (although I have read several good ones!) and wanted to try something new. Romance is not going to be the sole thing this fic revolves around later on. 

  
Chapter One

  
Bubbles floated out of her bedroom, humming to herself happily, with Octi tucked snugly under one arm. She was dressed only in a pale blue nightgown, and continues going down the hall. "I'm going to get ready for bed!" she cried toward the bedroom. 

"Okay!" came Blossom's response. 

She pushed open the bathroom door slightly, and reached over to get her toothbrush. She paused, confused, by a noise almost like a sob. Bubbles turned around to look toward the bathtub. 

Buttercup was sitting in the middle of a mass of bubbles around her, her head tossed back so that her wet hair hung down limply. She had her eyes closed, seeming to be thinking. "I thought you hated baths, Buttercup," Bubbles said. 

Buttercup jumped, her eyes fluttering open, and her arms snatching back out of the water in surprise. She stared at her sister in silence, then visibly relaxed. "I ... changed my mind. Hygiene is good, right? Never can be too clean!" 

Buttercup smiled weakly, and grabbed the soup, making a show of scrubbing herself clean. Bubbles blinked several times then smiled. She was happy that her sister had changed her mind about baths. 

Bubbles started brushing her teeth cheerily, and Buttercup hovered out of the tub to get her green towel. She shook the froth and bubbles off her, and wrapped herself almost conscientiously, darting looks at Bubbles. Bubbles finished brushing, spat, and smiled at her dark-haired sister in the mirror. 

Buttercup laughed and smiled back then let the water out of the tub. She drifted out of the bathroom. Bubbles paused, and then shook her head. She followed the other girl. "I'm so happy that you like baths now! Now we can all take bubble baths together, and have lots of fun!" 

" ... maybe some other time ... " Buttercup said, declining the offer. She dried herself off, and changed into her green pyjamas, tossing the towel onto the floor. She got into bed, and turned away from Blossom and Bubbles. Buttercup seemed to go to sleep within seconds. 

The Professor poked his head into the bedroom, and smiled at his little angels all tucked warmly in the bed. "Goodnight, girls!" 

"Goodnight, Professor!" Bubbles and Blossom chimed in together. 

He stooped over to pick up the fallen towel automatically, and went over to the bed, kissing each of the girls on the forehead in turn. All of them smiled except Buttercup who just scowled a little more. He tucked each of them in, and left. 

Bubbles closed her eyes, and Blossom rolled over to sleep on her side. Only Buttercup stared with wide eyes at the ceiling, waiting ...  


* * *

  
The alarm clock on the dresser flashed 2:00 A.M. The black-haired girl checked carefully to see if her sisters were asleep, and moved that annoying stuffed octopus away from her. She got out of bed, her eyes large in the darkness. The moon's light poured in through the windows so she could see pretty well. 

Buttercup went over to the closet, and looked through her clothes, moving some aside. She went into the closet, and changed into a black dress that went down to her feet. She didn't like dresses, but this one she almost made an exception for. It made her look mysterious, and maybe even -- pretty? She banished that thought with a frown. 

She went over to Blossom's vanity, getting a hairbrush and brushing out her hair. Buttercup's heart started to beat faster as she thought of what she was going to do, alive with that feeling of evading discovery. She brushed out her hair until the curve went down, and pulled it back with barettes. 

Buttercup then put on some dark stockings, and her regular black shoes. She was doing this to look nice, but she still felt ridiculous. "The things I'll do ... " she muttered to herself. 

But she started to smile again, imagining something. She looked around nervously as she opened the window and flew outside. The night air was cold against her skin. She flew through the town slowly, reveling in the feel of the night, of seeing the quietly serene town. There wasn't even any crime for a change. Her excitement slowly built up for another reason. 

Buttercup alighted near a hotel in the middle of Townsville, walking in through the doors and keeping her head down. There was a slim chance no one would notice her. She went into the cafe near the poolside, her heart starting to beat faster. She got a _de ja vu_ of this already happening before, but no ... this wasn't going to be like last time. 

A boy about a foot taller than her waved to her, breaking into a grin. His eyes seemed to have a reddish tint to them -- but it must have been a trick of the light. He looked to be about 9 or 10 years old, and also was dressed in dark clothes. 

She floated up, taking a seat at the table, a little shyly. Buttercup looked at him, wondering what he thought of her. "You're ... beautiful!" he exclaimed in a deep voice, his eyes lingering on her. 

The boy pushed a plate of nachos toward her. Buttercup took one, looking back at him. Her stomach was fluttering like she had stage fright. I'm not nervous, she told herself, this isn't really anything. 

"So?" he prompted, "You up for maybe a walk in the park?" 

She nodded slowly. His voice made her voice; it didn't sound like other males, but it sent a shiver through her. It was deep for his age, and somewhat sibilant. Buttercup remembered meeting him on the side of the street about a week back ... 

_She had just got finished beating up some other moron who wanted to steal from the bank again. "When will they ever learn!?" she grumbled to herself._

_"Hey!" a voice cried, something knocking her away. Buttercup looked up in time to see a knife soar over her, and watched with big eyes. A split second longer ... A young boy pulled her up._

_"Buttercup! Are you ok?" Blossom demanded, worried. She looked at the boy._

_"Yeah, yeah, yeah ... I'm fine ... " she said, dusting some dirt off of her. Bubbles was punching the fire out of the criminal dumb enough to attack her behind them. Buttercup looked away, embarassed that she had to be saved._

_"That was very brave. You should be rewarded," Blossom said to the boy. The boy shook his head, appearing nervous. "No, no, no!"_

_"Alright," she conceded, and flew away to finish up business with the other crooks. Buttercup looked at the boy, feeling a little put-out still. "Um ... thanks."_

_"No problem," he said back, looking away again. He glanced back and their eyes met for a long time. "H -- hey, you're pretty tough back there, you know that? I've heard a lot about you."_

_"Really?" she asked, somewhat flattered. Buttercup tried to be tough like the boys, but not a one of them had ever complimented her on it. _

_"Yeah ... hey, maybe you can come over to my house sometime?" he asked, hopefully._

_"Maybe ..." she replied._

_"GIRLS! It's time for dinner!" the Professor called from down the street. She looked away regretfully. "I've got to go eat dinner."_

_"Yeah. Bye," he said, waving to her as she flew away ..._

She had gotten to know him a little better since then. He was somewhat dark and moody, not liking to hang around with other kids, but never doing anyone wrong. Not like that jerk, Ace, using me, she thought bitterly. 

He stood up, and pulled her chair out for her. The nachos were left, forgotten, on the table. "Well, let's go." 

"Okay," Buttercup agreed. Without warning, she took his arm and floated into the air. The boy yelped, looking down. "I ... I thought we were walking ... " he said weakly. 

Buttercup laughed. She wondered why what she saw in him; he wasn't as tough as her, and something of a wimp at times. "Don't worry, I'm not going to drop you!" 

"Ok ... " he said, trying to keep his eyes on her. He kept on looking down at the city, many many feet below him though. A few minutes later, she landed in the park. He looked relieved. "Well, I'm not going to forget that anytime soon!" 

Buttercup smiled, almost maliciously. "We could fly more often." 

"No ... " he answered, and sat down on the bench, patting it as if to ask her to join him. She did, but kept her eye on him. He laughed a little. "I'm sorry, I'm horrible at this. You must think I'm a geek or something." 

"Sometimes," she answered truthfuly, and turned toward him, arranging her legs comfortably, "Why don't you tell me about yourself?" 

He looked nervous again. "Well, my dad works nights ... nights ... at a store here, and my mom works too, at a restaurant. They don't have much time for me. Me, I guess I just try to get through the day. To see you again, of course," he said, flashing her a smile. She smiled back and giggled. 

Buttercup winced internally. _I did NOT do that. I'm becoming girly ... yuck ... _somehow that thought didn't seem as bad as it once did. 

The boy crossed his legs, resting one foot on his knee and looking around him at the park. A pidgeon fluttered down sleepily, checked them out, and moved on when it saw they had no food. They sat in awkward silence for a while. 

"I was created in a laboratory and I fight crime with my sisters. One is a little baby, and the other is way too bossy. But fighting crime has to be the best part of my bad; school is sooo boring. Especially fighting a real villain who can give me a challenge. Wham! Pow!" she said, mimicing punching movements in the air. 

"I guess there has got to be a few that aren't so much of a challenge," he said, glancing at the not-so-secret lair in the middle of the park on a volcano. Buttercup frowned, and then laughed when she saw where he was looking. 

"Well, there were a few close calls. Like the time of the RowdyRuff boys, and Mojo Jojo sometimes comes up with schemes, and then there was the time Him took over Towns -- " she broke up, but he had already leaned forward attentively. 

"Oh? When? I know the first two, but I don't remember Townville being taken over by Lucifer," he said offhandedly. She shivered, goosebumps running up her skin. A feeling of dread came over her. "What did you just say?" 

"I said, I don't recall Townsville being taken over by _Him_. Why?" he replied. The boy gave her a funny look. 

"Oh," she said weakly and laughed, "Just hearin' things. Well, there was this time me and my sisters were racing, but we went to the future. And we found that we had left Townsville for fifty years and it was horrible! Everyone blamed us, and Townsville was all rotted and junk, and there weren't any plants or animals ..." 

"Really," he whispered with interest, his voice dropping deeper again. "Did you ever tell anyone?" 

"No, no one ... until now. I -- guess it was my fault 'cause I wanted to race," Buttercup said, hanging her head, "Sometimes I have nightmares ..." 

"Everyone does," he said, his eyes glittering in the moonlight, "Maybe it was wrong of you to race. But we can't see what happens in the future, can we?" 

"No," she answered, and looked at him. He smiled and she smiled back, her spirits lifting. "You don't seem like every other boy I've met. You understand me." 

"Of course I do. I know exactly how you feel," the boy said, still smiling. Buttercup felt warm inside. She looked up at the moon. An hour had passed. She needed to get home before anyone noticed her absence, even accidentally. "I need to go." 

"I understand," he said. "I'll meet you this weekend back here, if you're not busy. Midnight sound good?" 

"It's fine," she said happily. Buttercup hesitated, and then gave him a really quick hug around his neck for being nice to her. He patted her back. "Goodnight, Buttercup." 

"Goodnight," she said, and flew off. She didn't believe in prolonging goodbyes. That fluttering feeling didn't leave her though. _He's so nice_, she thought to herself, _but I'm scared ... I don't want to get hurt again ..._

Buttercup was still thrilled with that sense of danger, of being alive, of having a new confidant. Someone she could tell everything to. She went back in through the window, changed back into her pyjamas, and crawled into bed. 

  


* * *

  
  
The bell at Pokey Oaks Kindergarten rung to show it was time for recess. Schoolchildren cheered and rushed out the door toward the playground, including the three Powerpuff Girls. Ms. Keane called back Blossom though, a concerned expression on her face. 

"Blossom, your sister Buttercup's grades have been falling dangerously. I'm worried about you girls because what I teach now will mean a lot when you go to grade school, and she is doing badly on her homework and tests. She also seems to be distracted," the teacher said softly. 

Blossom nodded and looked at Buttercup sitting off by herself in the grass, gazing at the clouds with Bubbles. "I know what you mean ... but at home, she seems to have changed for the better. I'll try to get her to focus more on her homework." 

"Thank you, Blossom," Ms. Keane said, and went back to writing something at her desk. Blossom floated out the door and toward her sisters. 

"I think that one looks like a flower," Bubbles said, pointing at an oddly-shaped cloud. 

"Nah, it looks more like a mace," Buttercup corrected her. Bubbles gestured toward another one. "That one looks like a heart!" 

"Definitely," Buttercup agreed, smiling. Blossom tapped her on the shoulder. "Buttercup, we need to talk. Your grades have been getting worse." 

"So what?" she replied, nonplussed. "School doesn't matter. I learn on my own time." 

Blossom sighed. "Really? Like what?" 

Buttercup shrugged. "History, mostly, and learning some German." 

"I didn't think you had any interests other than fighting," Blossom said. Buttercup glowered at her, and she hastily corrected, "but I see now that you do. Why don't I help you with your homework tonight?" 

"Why don't you not, and let me do it?" Buttercup snapped, still stung slightly by the earlier remark. She turned away, ignoring Blossom. Blossom sighed, and floated away. When her sister was stubborn, there was nothing she could do to change it. She just wished she understood her other sister more. 

_Whenever I think I'm getting somewhere, she just pushes me away_, Blossom thought to herself. _Oh, well, it doesn't matter. She can take her own consequences._

Bubbles and Buttercup went back to their offbeat meteorological studies. 

  
  


* * *

  
  
The hotline rang in the girl's bedroom. Bubbles looked up from drawing, and Buttercup from a math book she had been glaring at. Both Blossom and Buttercup zipped to answer it. They stared each other down as the hotline continued buzzing. 

Buttercup picked up the phone first. "Hello? What's yer problem?" 

"No, this is Buttercup. A giant bird is attacking Townsville? Fire? We're right on it, Mayor. We'll teach that monster a lesson!" Buttercup slammed the phone down, and shot off through the ceiling. Blossom followed, a frown replacing her usual confident smile. Bubbles came in behind. 

Blossom went to the lead again despite Buttercup's dark look. They came in sight of the monster, and all stopped, taken aback. 

A giant bird made out of fire was flapping above the town, its wings dripping flame. It screamed a challenge, and swooped in. Burnt buildings and burning people ran about. It was pure chaos. "We need water! Now!" Blossom said, pointing toward the ocean. Bubbles nodded and raced off. After a second, so did Buttercup. 

Blossom flew over until she was face-to-face with the phoenix. Its baleful gaze finally landed on her, and it screeched a challenge. She inhaled deeply, and used her ice breath. The ice started to hit it, but only disappeared in gouts of steam around the bird. She ducked to avoid its dangerously hot wings as it slammed them together. 

She spun and kicked it directly in the eye. The bird screamed with rage, and smacked her withs its wing hard. Blossom was thrown into the side of a building, charred badly. She lifted her eyes to see Buttercup flying down with a broken waterhose toward a fire hydrant. Bubbles was carrying a huge vat of water. 

Blossom knew it wasn't going to be enough, but they might as well try. She shook the ash off of herself, and flew over to assist Buttercup in setting up the fire hydrant. The phoenix had already turned its attention away from them, focusing on burning buildings down to nothing. 

The fire hose roared to life, water spewing from it. Blossom took it from Buttercup without asking, and aimed it at the gigantic fire bird. Bubbles heaved the water tower at it all at the same time. The phoenix looked around belatedly. 

The water caught it dead center as it tried to defend itself with upraised wings. The phoenix screamed, and smoldered, its flames dying down some. "Attack while it's weak!" Blossom commanded. 

The three girls rushed at the bird through the air. Kicks and punches rained from all three sides, but the monster was still far from helpless. It clapped its wings together, stunning Bubbles senseless, and a raking claw dragged Buttercup out of the air. 

Blossom hung back, knowing when she was outclassed. She waited for her sisters to recover. Bubbles stirred after several minutes. "Okay, let's try hitting it all at once! 1 ... 2 ... 3 ... _NOW_!" 

They all charged at the phoenix in a triple-team punch. The phoenix was launched through the air, and disappeared in a twinkle of light. They each congratulated themselves on a job well done. Blossom and Bubbles flew on ahead, as usual, while Buttercup tagged behind, disgruntled. Did Blossom always have to take charge? Why couldn't she let someone else lead for a change instead of being so selfish? 

"Oh, _Buttercup _... " a hauntingly familiar effeminate voice called from behind her. She whirled around, prepared to fight. 

The street was utterly empty. The streetlights illuminated no sign of life. Buttercup rubbed at her arms, trying to make the goosebumps go away. She knew that voice from somewhere, but she couldn't remember, where ... 

She shook her head, and continued on toward the Utonium house, trying to put the incident out of her mind. Another day, another enemy defeated, a few more days, and it would be the weekend. She sucked in air through her teeth at the thought then sighed pleasantly. 

Buttercup went back to her math homework, as much as she hated it. Dare she admit it? Blossom had been partly right, she needed to bring her grades up. She wanted to be smart and intelligent like he was, pleasantly surprise him with a real conversation ... 

Buttercup smiled at the thought, and suddenly adding 9 and 5 didn't seem so hard anymore. Just like ten and 5, she told herself, count one done. Fifteen down to fourteen. She continued on through the problems, whispering to herself. Bubbles drew, and Blossom found herself looking at her fiery sister, wondering where these changes had come from. 

She would find out sooner or later; her curiosity was piqued, and she wouldn't let go until she found out the solution to this odd mystery. Blossom went back to reading up on conversational Chinese. 

  
_To be continued ..._

* * *


	2. Confused Emotions

Confused Emotions  
by Buttercupsaiyinjin  


Chapter Two  


Buttercup sighed, almost shivering with anticipation as 8:30 rolled around. It was the weekend, and she had a very important appointment at midnight that she wouldn't miss for the world. Her mind started wandering across giddy little romantic happenings that might happen, or had happened between them, hanging on usually inconsequential moments ... 

"Buttercup! Come take a bath with me and Blossom!" Bubbles cried, hopping up and down, and dragging her to her feet. Her wistful smile twisted into a frown. She hated baths; she only took them to look nice for him, or when everyone reminded her she started to stink. 

Grudgingly, she followed Bubbles. She didn't want to raise questions, but she preferred to take baths by herself. 

She shed that annoying green dress she always had to wear, and slid into the bathtub. The water, as expected, was too cold for her approval. Blossom was already happily washing her hair, and gave Buttercup a smirk. "I'm glad you changed your mind." 

"Shut up," she snapped, and starting scrubbing at herself with soap rather hard in her irritation, making the skin red. 

Buttercup washed her short hair quickly with shampoo, and got back out before Bubbles barely got a chance to get it. She looked at her sister sadly. Suddenly, a mass of bubbles struck the retreating girl on the head. She turned around, trying to figure out which one of them threw it. 

The lavatory quickly erupted into an all-out water fight. Buttercup tossed a handful of bubbles as Blossom, who wiped it off her face. "Ha!" 

Several clumps of foam came hurtling back at her, giving her the appearance of Santa Claus for a moment. Buttercup shook it off and laughed. "I'll get you for that!" 

She took some more froth, and playfully mussed it into Bubble's hair then styled it. It looked like a crazy collection of spikes. Bubbles tilted her head back to look at what was done, and fell over laughing until she sunk underwater. 

Blossom sent another mass to strike Buttercup. A drench of bathwater and bubbles came flying back at her as if she wasn't wet already. The battle had begun ... 

The Professor walked into the bathroom in a state of shock an hour later. His gaze traveled over the foamed walls, and the soaked floor that let the wetness extend into the carpet. There was even some dripping off the ceiling. In short, it was a disaster area. 

He sighed. He didn't have the heart to wake them out of their sleep, so he would have to clean up the mess -- as usual. He would warn them tomorrow not to do it again, or risk being grounded. He got out the mop, and started cleaning up the mess wearily.  


* * *

  
Buttercup waited anxiously for midnight to roll around. Just three more hours, she told herself. She got up, and turned the nightlight on. She hovered over the closet, and got out a jigsaw puzzle. 

By the time the little clock showed 11:45, the 200-piece puzzle was finished in the shape of several smiling plants and animals. Much too cheery and childish for her taste, but it passed the time. Buttercup started getting dressed, this time choosing a casual green shirt and jeans. 

She zipped out the window toward the park, remembering to close it and clean up before she left. Her sisters were soundly asleep when she checked. 

A pair of eyes popped open, and groggily looked at the clock. Time. It was time. A second figure opened the window again, and stealthily followed in flight, staying low to the ground.  


* * *

  
Buttercup touched down in the middle of the park, looking around a little in frustration. He was nowhere in sight. She guessed that maybe he was on the other side of the park or late, and began walking around in search. A few minutes later, she came across him sitting on a bench, looking toward the sky eagerly. Buttercup cleared her throat. 

He turned around, jumping slightly and spotting her. He smiled and waved her over. She floated up to sit on the bench again. "Well?" he inquired, "How has the week been?" 

"Okay," she answered, "I've been tryin' to get better grades." 

He smiled at her appreciatively, and she smiled back. "It's always good to learn new things, right? If you need some help, I've already learned most of it." 

"Um ... I think Ms. Keane presses us harder because we're so smart for our age. Especially me, 'cause it's just so boring sometimes. But I want to be my best for you," she said, looking up at him. He smiled pleasantly and nodded. 

"You do seem very smart, and I've heard your sisters are too. I bet you can be cunning with an enemy when you want to be. But, really, you seem more intelligent sometimes than the kids in my school. You said you're, what, almost seven years old now?" he asked, looking rather puzzled. 

"Yeah ... " she replied warily. 

"I found an old newspaper clipping of you about two or three years ago, and you don't look any different. Are you ageless?" he said softly. 

"I'm really not certain ... " Buttercup looked away at a tree on the other end of the park, not wanting to meet his troubled eyes. 

"You said that the Professor was trying to create the perfect little girl, but I think that Chemical X seperated that little girl's personality into three little girls, with traces of the other in each. And gave you superpowers, of course. But that might mean that you never grow up, you just stay young forever. You're a lot harder to kill off than a normal girl, aren't you?" he continued. 

Her lower lip trembled as she answered. She didn't like where this was going at all, but couldn't stop it. He was only saying what was obvious for anyone to see. "Yes ... the only time we ever came really, really close was when the RowdyRuff Boys were fighting us. But we destroyed them by being nice." She conveniently left out exactly how. He didn't need to know the details. 

"Oh. So I guess you'll never age physically. Well, we can work around that ... " he said, taking her hands and trying to brighten her up. Buttercup still caught the unspoken _'somehow'_. The boy smiled weakly. "What matters most is the mind and the heart." 

Buttercup nodded. He looked away himself, his eyes sparkling a little as he looked toward the streetlamps. She was surprised to notice that it wasn't all from the glare of the light. 

"You said you destroyed the RowdyRuff Boys by being nice ... so were they miscreated? And in that sense, were you?" Buttercup didn't answer for a long time. "No ... I know what miscreated is. When they are, they're unstable and the slightest little thing pushes them over the edge." 

"How do you know that?" he asked. She dropped her gaze almost guiltily. 

"Well, one time we tried to make a Powerpuff Girl ourselves, but it didn't quite work right. We were really busy, and gettin' tired of all the crimefighting, right? But when she came out, she was all messed up and exploded on the spot. Her name was Bunny." 

"I'm very sorry," he said quietly, "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories. I guess it doesn't always work sometimes, and all forms of creation aren't equally valid." 

"Yeah ... it seems to be temporary excpet for me, and I guess I was miscreated too," she said bitterly, deeply disturbed. 

"No!" he exclaimed suddenly, surprising her. "I like you just the way you are. I don't think you are miscreated at all. Your superpowers, your knowledge and everything, your attitude and toughness, they make you! If you were perfect it would so ... I don't know ... dull for anyone. Where would the challenge be?" 

Buttercup smiled. "Exactly." 

He smiled back at her, and patted her shoulder, comforting her slightly. A cough coming in the direction of a nearby bush attracted their attention though. Buttercup floated over, and her face twisted when she saw who it was with a look of betrayal. 

"Blossom! How _could_ you!" she cried out to the figure crouched behind the bush. Bright pink eyes met hers through the shadows. She looked surprised at being discovered. 

"I had to find out what was wrong ... Buttercup, didn't you already learn your lesson the first time?" she chided. "Your grades are slipping." 

"I can't believe you, you _hypocrite!_" Buttercup snapped. "I'm bringing my grades up, and you have the nerve to deny me this while you are spying on me!? You're worse than the Professor -- always want us to do what you want, never let us have _lives _of our own! All I wanted was a friend, and you can't trust me!" 

Blossom recoiled at her sister's harsh words, hurt in her eyes. Then she drew herself up proudly, looking her sister in the eye. "I wanted to _be _that friend. Do you even know this boy? How could _you_ trust being alone with him here, in the middle of the night?" 

Buttercup got angry, really angry this time. Blossom was insulting him, after all he had done for her, and helped herh. "Did you see him do anything wrong? NO! He saved my life! He has been there for me when all everyone else ever does is smother me! He understands me! I ... I _hate _you!" 

Buttercup was boiling with rage as she screamed the last words, but not loud enough to carry. They seemed very loud to Blossom's ears, and she covered up the pain. Buttercup didn't possibly mean it. "I'm only trying to protect you and help you too, Buttercup ..." 

The boy stood up. Both of the girls turned to him, startled, having forgotten he was there in the midst of their disagreement. He turned away from Buttercup, and smiled at Blossom. She didn't like that smile at all; it was like he was smirking at a secret only he knew. 

"I remember you, Blossom Utonium. You girls always fascinated me, and all I am trying to do is help Buttercup with her life now. You don't trust me, but I hope in time I can win that trust." He offered his hand toward her civilly. 

Now she was put on the spot. Blossom couldn't back down, or decline his offer without being rude and tainting her honor. Against her better judgement, she shook his hand. She floated up until she was on eye level with him. 

"I'll keep this in confidence on my conditions. First, I want to know about you. Everything. Second, if I find you doing anything funny, I reserve the right to punish you. Third, I'm to accompany you both," she said flatly. 

"_What!?_" Buttercup protested, "I'm not going to have you looking over me everywhere I go! That's not fair!" 

"Would the Professor approve, Buttercup?" Blossom shot back. "It's enough that you're making me keep the truth from him! It's not right." 

"You've done it before. What about the time you stole those golf clubs, and framed Mojo? Was that right?" Buttercup came toward her aggressively, "This isn't even like that! And you say that it is hard for you!" 

Blossom fell silent, growing angrier inside. It didn't help that she was right. She glared at her sister. "Fine. But I know where you are at what time with him at all times. Now you are coming back home with me." 

Buttercup stubbornly held her ground in the air. Her eyes started to glow dangerously. The air was heating up around her. "No. I'm. Not." 

The boy came between them, holding his hands up, and turned toward her pleadingly. "Please go. Don't make things worse." He leaned closer, whispering, "I'll make it up to you, tomorrow, ok? We'll go to the beach or something. About 7:00, I won't be busy." 

"Yeah, ok. But only for you!" she added with a look of daggers at her sister. Blossom held her ground, waiting patiently. Buttercup hugged the boy tightly, shifting her attention. "Sweet dreams." 

"You too, Buttercup. Don't let those bed monsters bite," he said with a half-smile. 

The two Powerpuff Girls left into the night, leaving him standing there in the park for a long time. He thought to himself, and shook his head. The boy smiled to himself. He headed toward home on the other side of town.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
Bubbles was skipping home from school. It was early afternoon, and she was taking the long route home to enjoy the lovely weather. People happily waved to the bubbly Powerpuff Girl, and she waved back, lost in her own daydreams. She would get home, and draw all the beautiful things she was seeing today. 

Suddenly, she saw a squirrel run into traffic. She rushed into the street as a blue blur, and swept it up before the little creature was hurt. A few drivers honked angrily at having to swerve. The squirrel chittered. 

"_Thank you! I'm Salem and I was trying to get to a new tree, but I couldn't dodge the Big Moving Things_," it said to her as she held it in front of her. 

"_Why did you need a new tree?_" she asked back. 

"_Too many squirrels, and not enough nuts. I have nowhere to stay or eat_," the squirrel replied sadly. 

Bubbles brightened with an idea. If the squirrel couldn't stay here, why couldn't it stay at their house? She smiled, pleased with herself. "_You can stay with me!_" 

"_Really!? Wow!_" 

The squirrel climbed up onto her shoulder, and perched there. Bubbles began skipping down the street again, her pigtails bobbing with her gait. She reached the house soon, and dropped her bookbag at the door. Professor nodded from the couch. "Hi, honey!" 

"Hi!" she chirped back, and went to do up the stairs. 

"What's that on your shoulder?" he asked. She stopped, smiling. "This is Salem! He's my new pet squirrel 'cause he doesn't have anywhere to live or eat ..." she sobered. "He can stay, right?" 

"Sure, honey," the Professor agreed magnanimously, "Just as long as it doesn't make a mess. There are some nuts in the pantry." 

Bubbles squealed in delight, and zipped to get the nuts. She promptly rushed back up to the room, and started feeding it until the little squirrel couldn't eat anymore. She made it a makeshift bed out of a towel, got a bowl for water and nuts, and put it in one corner of the room. 

"_You stay there. I can't wait to show you to my sisters!_" she said. 

"_Me either._" The squirrel's eyes glinted, and it curled up to go to sleep in the towel. 

* * *

"Professor, Bubbles brought home another stupid pet," Buttercup complained, "Why do we have to keep it?" 

"I know, dear, but it makes her happy," he said, his nose buried in a scientific book. She sighed, exasperated, and floated back up to the room. He didn't care. "Oh, and, remind your sisters not to mess up the bathroom again, or you will have to clean it up and I'll reinstate the curfew." 

Buttercup muttered something that might be taken as assent, and shut the bedroom door a little harder than necessary. Why did Blossom always have to snoop around in everyone else's business? It drove her insane. Like they couldn't make their own decisions without her trying to act like their mother. 

"Say 'hi' to Salem!" Bubbles stated, holding up her newfound pet proudly. "He says he likes you!" 

Buttercup still thought her sister had a few screws loose there. Talking to squirrels, indeed. Everyone knew that animals couldn't talk. Well, except for the Talking Dog and Mojo Jojo, but they were hit by chemicals or something. 

"Hi," she said to the squirrel levelly. 

Its black eyes regarded her, and it chittered back. She rolled her eyes. "What did it 'say'?" 

Bubbles smiled obliviously, the sarcasm missing her completely. "It asked how you were." 

"Uh-huh. Fine," she said, and went over to her desk to complete a creative drawing as an assignment. She thought she might as well take it seriously. She started drawing herself punching one of the billion monsters that always seemed to attack Townsville, this one a giant ant. 

Buttercup paid special attention to detail instead of just drawing lines and scribbling in some color like she usually did. She got too many proportions wrong though, crumpled the paper, and began again. Bubbles scooted closer after putting down Salem. 

"Meet the lines together so they aren't broken up. And don't make the body so long," she suggested. Buttercup hunched over, and covered her drawing with her hand protectively. "I can do it myself." 

"Ok," Bubbles said equably, and went to go start her own drawing. _It will be so much better than mine, of course, and Ms. Keane will give it an A+_, Buttercup thought bitterly. _And Blossom's will be great because it's original. I can't do anything right ... I'll get a C for average. Pah._

Blossom came into the room, and sat on the bed to promptly start hers. Both girls finished long before Buttercup who spent almost an hour more until it was perfect. The buildings were lopsided and the ant looked bad, but everything else was decent. It was great, coming from her. 

She folded it up, and swooped downstairs to put it in her bookbag. Then she went back upstairs, and started playing with her yo-yo, waiting for 7:00 to slowly roll around. 

The tension was tight between Buttercup and Blossom, both shooting each other looks that held unspoken messages as the alarm clock showed 6:30. Buttercup's were black looks full of threat and indignation while Blossom's were silently haughty and confident. 

The clock was at 6:50. Buttercup grabbed her bikini and sunglasses, flew down the stairs, slamming the bedroom door shut and the front door to the house on the way out. She waited for a few seconds. On cue, Blossom appeared out of the door to follow her. Buttercup grabbed her arm, spun her around to face her, and held her up against the wall of the house. 

"I'm going to the beach. I'll be there for a while. You don't need to follow me like I'm some sort of little baby, got that? I can take care of myself!" Buttercup hissed, putting her face close to Blossom's,"So let alone!" 

Blossom shoved her backwards roughly. She was fed up with being treated badly by her sister. "I'll come if I want to! But fine -- if you get into trouble, I just don't care anymore! Go!" 

She went back inside the house, the door slamming shut again for the nth time, making the house shudder. Blossom huffed, rearranged her red hair, and went back up to her bedroom. She had more important things to do than tag along after her headstrong sister, anyway. 

Buttercup nodded to herself. _That's what I wanted, right? To be left alone? She deserves it for always trying to be in my hair, and mess things up. _She flew off toward the beach, putting those thoughts out of her mind and focusing on going to have a good time.  
  
  
_To be continued ..._


	3. Confused Emotions

Confused Emotions  
by Buttercupsaiyinjin 

  
Chapter Three

The Powerpuff hotline rang in the girls' bedroom. Bubbles continued drawing as Blossom snatched up the receiver eagerly. She had been hoping to get a call. It would take her mind off things. 

"Hello? Mayor? Yes ... ok, near the Carvin' Cove School? We're right on it!" Blossom said, putting the phone down. Bubbles looked around, feeling like something was missing. 

"Blossom?" she asked quietly. 

"Yeah?" the other girl answered, before getting ready to burst through the roof. 

"Where's Buttercup? We can't do this without Buttercup!" 

"Sure we can, Bubbles. Buttercup just went out for a little while because it's the weekend. Don't worry about it," Blossom said, patting Bubbles' arm reassuringly. The blonde-haired girl relaxed, trusting in her judgement. "Now let's go take care of the latest monster." 

"Okay!" Bubbles said, and they flew off through the roof, shingles and plaster spraying everywhere. The Powerpuff Girls minus one headed toward the Carvin' Cove school near the middle of Townsville. Their eyes fell on the latest monster. 

It was hideous. This one was a fiery demon with blackened eyes, twisted scales, and gnarled claws extending off his many arms. He was shredding the schoolhouse to pieces. Screaming children ran amok, out onto the street, and away from immediate danger. Blossom claps her hands, an idea occuring to her from a prior experience. 

She inhaled deeply, and blew out her ice breath again. It froze in mid-air forming a long chunk of ice. She hit it with her laser vision, causing the ice to melt. A large wave struck the demon, putting his fire out. The black eyes narrowed in irritation. The fire surrounding it roared back to life. 

The demon hesitated only a moment before leaning down, and plucking a child up between its claws. Bubbles dove in, and rescued the boy from the monster's grasp, setting the kid back down on the ground. Blossom drew back out of its range. "This is going to be harder than I thought." 

Bubbles brightened, and looked toward the nearby ocean. She went around behind the rampaging demon, watching the thrashing tail in fascination. She grabbed it, whirled it around her head, and tossed the beast toward the ocean. 

He hurtled through the air and into the water with a resounding plash. People on the beach cheered on the Powerpuff Girls for saving the day. They smiled, and Blossom shook clasped hands over her head in victory. _See, we didn't need Buttercup after all._

The water behind them started to bubble ominously, cutting the hollering and hooting short. The girls turned around with looks of dread. Sure enough, the demon rose from the water again. He grinned maliciously. A ball of fire formed around his hand which it sent hurtling toward them. Blossom dodged, but Bubbles was hit by it, and throw backwards into the sand. 

The pigtailed girl soared up, sand and soot shaken off her. She flanked Blossom as they flew round and round the monster's head. It began to get dizzy. Blossom shouted, "Attack now!" 

Twin lasers struck the monster simultaneously. The flame aura around him only seemed to absorb the heat harmlessly. They tried again. Bubbles tossed her head back, and screamed as high as she could. People fell over in pain, and even Blossom had to cover her ears. 

The demon screeched, and then crumpled, unconscious into the sea. Blossom knew it was only fainted though, and inhaled deeply again. She gestured for Bubbles to follow her, and plunged underwater. They swam after the sinking monster. 

His eyes flickered open again, glowing a deep red. Each girl took hold of one arm, holding it down. It struggled, and tried to twist around to attack, but was in vain. Eventually, he subsided and air stopped leaking from his mouth. He rested on the ocean floor. 

Both girls burst out of the ocean, gasping mightily for breath. Even that had been a strain for their powers. Bubbles looked deeply saddened. That was the first time they had ever had to -- well -- had kill a monster in such a cruel way. "Did we have to do that?" 

"Yes," Blossom answered, looking down at the swirling waters, "It was pure evil. Didn't you see it? We didn't have a choice; it's one of the burdens of being a superhero." 

"I thought it was supposed to be fun ... " Bubbles said, her eyes still troubled. Blossom put her arm around the other girl's shoulder. "Fighting and protecting the town isn't always fun. It's necessary. Having great power brings great responsibility." 

Bubbles' lip trembled, and she didn't say anything for a long time as they drifted slowly home. "I guess you're right, Blossom." 

Blossom smiled and nodded, and she went back into their room through the hole in the roof. 

  
* * * 

  
Buttercup hovered over the ocean, scanning the beach for the person whom she was supposed to meet here. After several minutes, she spotted him and landed beside him. He as wearing red swimming trunks now. He waved happily, and was smoothing out the wrinkles in a towel. "There," he said, and sat down on it, promptly wrinkling it again. 

"Hi," she said. 

"Hi!" he answered back. They looked at each other for a long time before Buttercup finally broke the awkward silence that always liked to descend between them. "So ... what do you want to do?" 

He shrugged indecisively. "Well, I don't want to go swimming yet. Want to build a sand castle?" 

"Who'd wanna -- " she bit her lip, cutting off the biting remark, and changed her mind. "Sure, I'd enjoy building a sand castle with you." 

"Okay!" he ran across the beach like any excited child, and started clumping sand together. Buttercup picked up a stray clam shell, and started adding to the pile. Slowly, after several minutes of labor, something that might roughly be called a sandcastle emerged from the pile of sand. A roar momentarily distracted her. 

She looked behind her to see pink and blue streaks circling around a demon's head. He raised his head to look in the same direction as well, a worried expression on his face as he turned to look back at her. 

Buttercup slowly clenched her teeth together as she watched. _They don't need me! I don't care anymore! I'm always told I "needly endanger people's lives", I don't think, and they can handle it! What do they need with someone who is only the brute force in the group, when they can have perfect little Blossom's intellect. I'm getting a life of my own. So there! _She wasn't even sure who she was directing that towards. Everyone in general, maybe. 

But she did turn away, her heart hardening. They didn't need her, none of them did. She was always the little trouble-maker, always doing wrong. She went back over purposefully to continue building the sandcastle, packing sand and shaping it clumsily. Memories whirled through her mind brokenly. 

_Buttercup was surrounded by villains grinning evilly, their teeth obviously broken or missing completely. They were closing in. She shot a desperate glance at her sisters hovering overhead._

_"Sorry, Buttercup, you know what they say," Blossom said sadly, and a little too smugly, "An eye for an eye."_

_"And a tooth for a tooth!" Bubbles chimed in excitedly. Buttercup laughed nervously in disbelief. Her sisters wouldn't possibly leave her here to this ..._

_But they did. They watched on as she was taken from all sides by angry punches, kicks, or whatever was hurled her way. Her jaw was almost broken, and several teeth cracked or knocked out. And her sisters watching it all in grim silence, not lifting a finger to even assist her afterward, not an ounce of sympathy on their faces._

_It had twisted something deep inside her, a hurt that words could have never conveyed and anger swelling to fill it. It was ten times worse than anything else that had ever happened to her. And while she was vulnerable, the villains descended harder in her distraction, leaving her helpless ..._

_The citizens of Townsville surrounded her again, fire eerily lighting their faces. Buttercup reeked, and was grimy. _

_"Enough talk!" an angry man shouted, waving his torch menacingly._

_"It's bath time!" a female declared._

_The mob surged forward, brandishing their torches. She ran through the grass, into the woods, her dress tearing and bushes cruelly scratching her. Buttercup was terrified. The people had turned on her. Hounds nipped at her heels, teeth flashing. It was all like something out of a nightmare, being persecuted just because of her choice not to bathe. Her family, friends, and now all of Townsville had turned against her ..._

_Ima Goodlady -- who was really Sedusa in disguise, in hindsight -- had fainted pitifully in their Professor's arms, supposedly recovering from worry for them. Buttercup regretted ever setting him up with that harridan. The Powerpuff Girls protested at their oncoming sentence._

_"No 'buts'!" the Professor said, cutting them off. "You're g .. g .. grounded!"_

_And he had fallen for her. Buttercup seethed even more as Sedusa flashed them a victorious smile as they dejected floated upstairs ..._

_Buttercup looking at her shivering sisters, and then shooting a look of pure death at Ace, stammering to come up with excuses. Blossom and Bubbles had only narrowly escaped death, but what stung most of all was his betrayal. He hid behind his gang, but she pelted them out of the way. It was only her and him._

_"Buttercup, I'm innocent!" he tried to explain belatedly, "They put me up to it, honest!"_

_She didn't give him a chance to come up with any more lame excuses, seeking retribution for a toppled pedestal and a popped bubble. Rage consumed her for those few moments, and hatred blazed in her eyes ..._

_Blossom shoving her backwards after being pinned against the wall. "If you get into trouble, I don't care anymore! Go!" ..._

She closed her eyes as if in physical pain, and pushed them away. The boy was gazing at her in open concern, reaching out a hand toward her entreatingly. Buttercup waved him away. He drew his hand back away slowly, and helped her create another tower on castle, making eleven now. 

Buttercup leaned over to pick a pretty oyster shell up. She cracked it open, looking at the opalescent side. But what really caught her was a perfect pearl inside. She held her treasure up. "Hey! Look what I found!" 

"Cool!" he exclaimed. He stepped back to look at their castle, and shook his head. It looked miserable. "Why don't we go find shells instead?" 

"Ok!" A streak of blue light raced toward the beach dressing room, and he waited about two minutes. She came back out in a green bikini. He smiled slightly at the sight of her. Buttercup said, "I bet I can find more complete shells than you!" 

"You're on!" he agreed, laughing. The hunt began and they ran, laughing with childish delight, into the water. Each stayed close together, sometimes fighting over who saw what shell first. The sun dipped downward in the sky, and a large pile of shells accumulated on the beach. Buttercup's was slightly taller. 

She beamed with pride at winning the challenge, and he easily admitted defeat. They sat down on the sand, crosslegged, to watch the sun go down in silence. Townsville citizens began leaving the beach now that darkness was slipping in. 

Yet they stayed, looking at each other, the sky, the ocean, and making the usual idle talk. He fidgeted, and flicked away another shell. "Pretty sky, huh?" 

"Yeah," she answered. Buttercup looked like her mind was a thousand miles away. She laughed, softly, ruefully. She couldn't recall a time when she had been so, well, happy before. Not even defeating an enemy gave her this sort of giddiness. "I'm usually not into this stuff." 

"Neither am I," the boy conceded. Their gazes met at the same time. He started to lean forward slightly, and she started to do the same. At the last moment, Buttercup ducked to the side and gave him a rather platonic peck on the cheek. 

He blinked and covered up his disappointment rapidly. The boy pointed out at the horizon. "Wow ... look at that!" 

She was easily distracted. A full, yellow moon hung over the horizon. They watched it shrink as it moved upward in the sky. Buttercup began to realize how late it was. She took one last, lingering look at him still glistening from seawater, the white sandy shores, how the moonlight reflected off the waves, and the fading twilight. 

"It's getting really late. I've got to go ..." Buttercup tried to look remorseful, but a second reason was that things had gotten uncomfortable and she didn't want to spoil it now. He nodded acceptingly. "I will see you again next weekend. It shouldn't be too hard to find your house, what with you girls being celebrities around here and all." 

She looked a little amused, but her eyes were sad. "Goodnight." 

"Goodnight," he said back, and went over to go roll up his towel as she flew away.   
  
  
* * *  
  
  
Blossom and Bubbles waited for their sister to arrive back. Blossom managed to both entertain Bubbles, and to keep the Professor from realizing Buttercup was still missing. The inklings of worry and fear started to gnaw at her. It had been hours. But she refused to give in, and go looking. 

Bubbles was depressed even as they played a video game. She didn't put he heart into any effort, and Blossom beat her easily. At around nine o'clock, Buttercup finally graced them with her presence. She looked a little troubled. 

Bubbles leapt up, restored, and tackled her to the ground. The game was forgotten. "Buttercup! I was so worried about you! Where have you been?" 

"Yeah, yeah, come on, get off," Buttercup said, removing herself from her enthusiastic sister's grasp. "I'm fine. I just went to the beach for a little while with a friend." 

"Friend?" Bubbles inquired, her curiosity perked. Blossom stood silently next to the bed, almost imposing. Buttercup met those disapproving eyes. "Yeah, I made a new friend a few weeks back. You'll all be meeting him next weekend." 

"Him?" Bubbles squealed, delighted. She started dancing around the room. "_Ooh!_ Buttercup's got a boyfriend! Buttercup's got a boyfriend! Buttercup's got -- " 

"Shut up!" Buttercup snapped, cuffing her sister on the back of her head for her antics. "It ain't like that!" 

Blossom smiled at her in self-satisfaction. "Not at all, huh?" 

"I want to know who! What's he like? Is he cute? Tell me, tell me, tell me!" Bubbles bounced up and down, trying to get Buttercup's attention. She received a cold scowl for her troubles. Buttercup threw her hands up in exasperation. "All of you ... _leave me alone_! You'll meet him soon enough!" 

Blossom frowned, and went back over to play the videogame. Bubbles finally wilted, and went over to her bed. She hugged that dumb squirrel in one arm, and her stuffed octopus in the other. Buttercup snatched the dropped remote controller up from the floor, and started joining in on the game uninvited. 

Blossom didn't last five seconds under a sudden barage of attacks from the character on the screen. She turned the videogame off in disgust, and disappeared into the living room. Buttercup sighed. She knew, deep down, when she was venting her frustrations on everyone else without reason. 

* * * 

A late dinner at the Utonium household was a complete fiasco. 

The Professor called down the girls to dinner. They gathered around the table in the kitchen silently. The meal that had prepared was excellently cooked as always; mashed potatoes, sliced fruit, seafood soup, and sandwiches. The girls were too unsettled by their private emotions though. 

Buttercup and Blossom both looked at the sandwiches. They reached for one simultaneously, their hands hovering over the prize. Each glared at the other. "I was first!" Buttercup proclaimed. 

"No, _I_ was!" Blossom retaliated. 

This continued on throughout dinner for the first serving of anything. Bubbles retreated further into herself, slumping slightly. She was reserved throughout all of dinnertime, not trying to soothe arguments, nor complimenting the Professor on how good the meal was, or making any sort of comment at all. She ate her food dully as if not really seeing it nor tasting it. 

"I wanted the steak sandwich, Blossom," Buttercup insisted. Blossom made a noise of indignation. "Well, I happened to get to it first." 

"Why don't I go make another one ..." The Professor offered suddenly. He changed his mind as both girls regarded him with contempt and narrowed eyes. 

Buttercup ate quickly, not bothering to keep good table manners. Her eyes remained on Blossom's, who could not keep her gaze on her irate sister. The red-haired girl looked down at her food, her appetite gone. "Excuse me ... I'm not hungry." 

She scooted her chair away from the table, and floated out of the kitchen. The Professor watched her go, and turned the other two. "Girls, is anything wrong?" 

"No, nothing at all," Buttercup insisted. 

"Not a thing," Bubbles adding, smiling suddenly. The expression faded when he looked away. It was obvious that he didn't take their word on faith. 

Buttercup finished her plate off, and helped herself to Blossom's uneaten portion as well. Bubbles slowly ate about half of hers, and gave the rest to her voracious sister. Bubbles drifted back up to the bedroom after Blossom. Buttercup looked up. "Why don't I clean up?" 

The Professor looked shocked. This was extremely unusual; Buttercup despised cleaning. But she smiled winningly at him, and he relented. "Alright, dear, if you want to." 

He got up and went to the living room, shaking his head, and mumbling to himself, "What on earth has gotten into my little girls?" It had apparently slipped his mind that they had supersonic hearing. 

By the time Buttercup was done, three dishes had been shattered on the floor, soup spilled, and most of the food was in the refridgerator. She cleared up the broken glass and spills, feeling slightly guilty that it wasn't all due to her inadequancy in domestic cleaning. She had simply gotten mad, and taken it out on the first thing she could lay her hands on. H_ow dare Blossom do that to me, humiliate me like that in front of the Professor, even ... !_

Four dishes broken. She sighed.  


* * * 

The Professor treaded on cat's feet as he went into the girl's bedroom at 10:00 to tuck them in for the night. He hadn't pressed the bedtime issue nor dinner being belated. It hadn't seemed wise with his three daughters so moody lately. He didn't want to add to whatever burdens they were carrying. 

All three Powerpuff girls were still awake, indulging in their own activities at different sections of the room. Blossom reading a novel at her vanity, Bubbles coloring at a desk, and Buttercup playing video games. It was nothing out of the ordinary. 

"Girls?" he asked quietly, knocking on the door, and opening it. They glanced up. "It's getting very late, and it's time for you to go to bed." 

"Yes, Professor," they said as one, and started getting into their nightgowns. They flew over to the bed, and got under the covers. He smiled, and tucked them in snugly. He kissed each of them on the forehead. 

Buttercup rolled her head to the side almost sullenly, Blossom smiled, and Bubbles beamed. "Goodnight," he told them seperately. 

"Goodnight," they replied back. As he left, each girl fell into her own troubled sleep. No one noticed a dark form slipping out the door. 

* * * 

Bubbles was back fighting monsters in the Danger Grid, the setting on eleven. Monsters hurled themselves at her, but she beat them back, one, two, even three at a time. She stood panting as she was finished, fire blazing behind her. She wiped blood off her mouth. 

She looked down. The blood covered her hands. Suddenly, the pile of defeated monsters and burning town coalesced into a roaring, blazing demon. It swiped at her with his long, twisted claws. She dodged, and with hands still covered with blood, slammed it into the wall. The air became as thick as water. But it wasn't water, it was slime. She was being smothered. 

The demon's head rolled lifelessly to the side. Bubbles screamed, but the liquid rushed into her mouth, in her lungs. She tried to spit it out, to breathe, but she couldn't. All she got was more slime instead of air. "End program! End program!" 

At least, that was what she tried to say. The sound only echoed in her mind alone. Then everything was gone into a blackness. 

Bubbles realized that she had awoken, breathing hard, sweat pouring off of her. No, it wasn't entirely black; the nightlight was still left on. She clutched the blanket while hyperventilating. She focused on calming down. _Just a dream. It wasn't real._

She wiped sweat off of her forehead, and gave one last deep exhalation. Bubbles rolled over, and went back to sleep. 

* * * 

Alliances, truces, and war were declared daily between the Powerpuff Girls. One would support another, and then turn around and argue or cut one down an hour later. Whe nthe hotline rang, they had agreed to put disputes aside. Villains, however, tended to receive an the unleashed agitation inside. Somehow, crime seemed to die down at an extraordinary rate. 

And so the week came and went rather uneventfully. 

Buttercup constantly tried to outdo Blossom in everything. Her grade was soaring while Blossom's was souring. Bubbles gave her minimum effort, which was to say, it was average. Ms. Keane was disturbed by the pictures she was drawing lately for art class. 

The Professor started to pay more attention to Buttercup, relying on her to settle arguments more often as she seemed the most cool-headed. Blossom resented that deeply. It only served to bring the sibling rivalry to its apex. 

It was Saturday. The Professor suggested going out to the park to settle nerves, yet the girls declined, oddly enough. Early in the afternoon, the doorbell rang. Mystified, the Professor went to answer it, but a green streak far beat him to it. 

"Hi!" Buttercup said with felicity, "Please, come in. 

A shy-appearing boy around the age of nine poked his head through the door. His black hair had been combed neatly back, and he had dressed agreeably for the occasion. "You must be Professor Utonium. I've heard a lot of about you." 

"Yes ... who are you?" the Professor inquired politely. 

The young boy smiled disarmingly, and answered solemnly, "Belial Droes. It is a pleasure to meet you." 

_To be continued ..._


	4. Confused Emotions

Confused Emotions

Confused Emotions  
by Buttercupsaiyan 

Author's Note: The second half of this was written at 2:00 in the morning. Gomen, if I have made any typos or obvious plot holes. Yes, I'll make an epilogue. ^.^  


Chapter Four  


Buttercup interceded quickly to explain. "Well, we went out to fight crime a few weeks ago, and he saved my life. We've been friends ever since." 

The Professor smiled. Buttercup hardly had any friends, and he was glad to see that she was getting out more often and socializing with her peers. _It would do her good to have someone to talk to besides her sisters. Especially with the way they've all been lately ... I wish I could get down to the bottom of it, but they clam up and won't say anything._

Bubbles started to come down the stairs, but stopped and hovered uncertainly. Blossom cracked the door open, and stiffened when the boy looked toward her. The bedroom door closed again hurriedly. 

Buttercup waved a hand toward her blonde-haired sister. "This is Bubbles. Bubbles, this is Belial." 

Bubbles then smiled. He offered his hand, and shook hers formally. "I don't believe I've met you yet." 

"No ..." Bubbles murmured quietly. Buttercup stepped in, and guided him up the stairs. "Why don't I show you our room now?" 

"That would be fine," he said. 

Bubbles watch her sister go up the stairs with wide eyes, and then collapsed into helpless giggles, no longer being able to hold them back. She recovered, and followed the two. The Professor just watched it all, bemused. Well, the boy seemed polite and trustworthy which was good. He wasn't so sure about leaving the girls alone with a boy, but knew they were more than capable of taking care of themselves. 

* * * 

Blossom was watching the progress of Townsville out the window nonchalantly as the boy walked in. She was always fascinated by the way the people interacted in city life, like a giant ant farm on a more complex scale. Plus, it gave her an excuse not to look at their visitor. _Intruder_, she corrected mentally. 

" ... And this is our room, and the what belonging to who is by our colors," Buttercup stated to Belial. He nodded. "Hey, come over here to the closet! I'll show you all my cool toys!" 

"Sure," he replied amiably. Bubbles skipped over, and pulled out her stuffed animals. She looked at the boy with large eyes. "Will you play dolls with me, Belial?" 

He stood, undecided, for a moment. "I guess so." Buttercup gave Bubbles a threatening look, but she didn't seem to take notice. Bubbles and Belial immediately starting setting up a kingdom, declaring sides, and claiming toys. 

Buttercup grumbled and mumbled darkly to herself. _He was my guest! Bubbles just has to go "play dolls" with him. I can't believe that he agreed to that ..._

She sat down at the desk, pointedly facing the wall. She put on her headphones, and turned the volume up loudly. Buttercup still snuck glances at the two every now and then. 

"Ha, ha!" Belial intoned deeply behind his hand, animating a stuffed lion, "I shall take over your kingdom and send my evil ... barbies ... to do my work! Mwuah-ha-ha-ha!" 

He knocked over a doll near the castle made of blocks. "Oh no! Not that! I have fainted!" He projected his voice in a ridiculous parody of a female. 

A stuffed doll of Bubbles "flew" in, landing on a castle turret. The real Bubbles spoke out of the side of her mouth. "Not so fast! I shall stop you!" 

"O HO HO HO!" the lion "said" with a snarl, "Forward, my minions!" A barbie doll walked up, wielding a sword which was actually a pencil. Two more Powerpuff dolls flew in while being held by Bubbles. "We shall save the day!" 

The Buttercup doll spoke in a deep, almost masculine voice, "Let's go in and mindlessly kill all of the nameless and ex-pend-a-ble minions." Buttercup winced at the desk, not entirely deaf. Was that how she came off?_ I am so going to get you back for that, Bubbles._

"No! We're going to go through elaborate, complicated battle strategies and plans to undermine them in the name of justice and love! Respect my authority and don't argue!" the Blossom doll shouted back. Belial fell over, laughing hard. 

Blossom left the room in disgust. 

* * * 

She went down the hall to the Professor's room. Something was bothering her, and had been for a while. Now she was almost certain that she could nail down the source of the problem. She opened the door. 

Bubbles had called the boy "Belial" as if it was his name. Blossom pulled up a chair at the desk, and sat down. She booted it up, and it whirred softly with the noise of a machine. When she watched the boy unawares, he had pried Buttercup for information, and suggested disturbing things. 

Blossom had never really worried about her origin or her age before that, but she had been thinking more and more about it lately. What he said had been deliberately phrased to make her think, and worry about it. She logged into the internet, and pulled up a search engine. 

She keyed in the phrase "Belial." The computer's glare reflected off her face. Her eyes suddenly became troubled as she opened a promising site. It appeared to be religious in nature. 

"Belial: Found frequently as a personal name in the Vulgate and various English translations of the Bible, is commonly used as a synonym of Satan, or the personification of evil," the site informed. 

Blossom closed her eyes, shivering. Everything came together. _That boy is -- NO! I can't tell Buttercup this! It would devastate her! We were just being played against each other all along, and she's been used again ... I wonder if she could ever forgive me for being the harbinger of such news ..._

_Maybe he really isn't Him. _She dismissed that notion quickly. _It's all too fitting and opportune. And exactly how His mind would work. Maybe I should just wait this out before I go throwing accusations around. But what if I'm right?_

_Oh, what do I care anyway? She got herself into this; she can get herself out._ Blossom's face twisted with regret as the unwanted thought passed her. She did care. A lot. 

With a heavy heart, Blossom decided that she had to take the risk of being wrong or right. She had a duty to her sisters as much as she hated to admit it. She erased the internet logs, turned off the computer, and floated out of the room. 

A scream came from the bedroom. She rushed it, practically knocking the door off the hinges in her panicked flight. Bubbles was on the floor sobbing. "WAAAHHH! My little squirrel is gone!" 

Blossom relaxed. The other two looked at her oddly. "I thought something bad had happened," she said. 

Buttercup shrugged. There was no telling with her sister sometimes. The boy looked up at the alarm clock, noting the time. He put a stuffed animal down regretfully. "It's almost dinnertime. I've got to be going." 

"Okay," Buttercup said, nodding. He smiled at her, and she smiled back. Blossom looked away, hating herself right then for what she was going to have to do. The boy went to leave the bedroom, and glanced up at her expectantly. She was blocking the door. 

Blossom turned around and locked the door. Both of her sisters and boy looked at her in confusion. _Here goes nothing ..._

"You're not going anywhere, Belial," she said, her voice hard. Blossom was surprised at how cold she sounded, but she was the same way inside right then. The boy's brow wrinkled in bewilderment, and he took an involuntary step backward. 

"What do you think you're doing?" Buttercup demanded. 

"Listen," Blossom said, her eyes meeting both of her sisters' pleading, "He isn't what he seems. The name Belial ... it means the Father of Evil in the Bible. He is using us, twisting us, to drive us apart again ..." 

"What!?" the boy cried out. He looked so innocent and hurt right then that she almost believed she was mistaken. 

"You're lying!" Buttercup accused her, standing protectively in front of Belial. "What has he possibly done wrong? You're just jealous!" 

"Jealous of what!?" Blossom shot back. "Why would I lie about this, Buttercup? I don't like it anymore than you do, but I'm afraid that it is true. I hate telling you this." 

"Please," Belial said, moving in front of her furious sibling, "It's just a coincidence. My dad ... he's got a twisted sense o' humor. This would be right up his alley, and my mother probably didn't even notice my name. I'm sorry that it backfired on everyone." 

Buttercup turned her attention to him in sympathy, and then rose up in the air to meet Blossom. Her voice was a silky whisper that made the other girl suppress a shiver. "You don't hate telling me this. You're rejoicing because you think you found a way to get rid of the one person in your way who hasn't done anything to you." 

Bubbles started to break out of her paralyzation at the other corner of the room. "Maybe she's right ..." 

"Shut up!" Buttercup snapped. She dropped her head and looked away shamefacedly. Blossom looked at the complete hatred in those green eyes. She broke down and started to cry. Had she deceived herself? Maybe she was right, and she was just succumbing to petty jealousy because Buttercup had become better than her, smarter than her, got more of the Professor's attention, and Buttercup had stopped paying good attention to her anymore. 

The last one hurt the more than anything else. Her own sister didn't love her anymore. She wasn't the Professor's favorite little angel anymore. 

The boy looked on the edge of tears too. "I'm really sorry for all this." 

"Don't be. It's not your fault that she's always been overbearing and spiteful," Buttercup said. He put his hand on her arm, trying to calm her down. The mirror at Blossom's vanity shattered suddenly. Several toys and anything else in reach hurled themselves at the pair. 

Bubbles animated suddenly, and held back Blossom's arms gently. "No! Don't fight." The other girl panted, still crying. Tears stained her pink dress. "But ... " she protested, "They ... Look at what he's done to us!" 

"Blossom ... " Bubbles tried to say brokenly. 

"Look at what you've done!" Buttercup interjected. The boy looked at her silently, and she shut up. Blossom's lip started to tremble. She rounded on her sister, angrier than she had ever been in her life. The doorknob started rattling. 

"My fault, _my fault, MY FAULT, MY ... FAULT ... ! _" Blossom chanted, her voice rising in a crescendo. "It's always my fault with you, isn't it, Buttercup! No one else can possibly be to blame, and certainly not your little infatuated self, or your boyfriend! Well, I'm not going to complicate your sweet little perfect life anymore!" 

"Fine!" Buttercup shouted back. Bubbles started crying again loudly. Belial pulled back. And Blossom whipped around, punching Buttercup as hard as she possibly could, her red hair flaring around her like a holy fire. Then she took off, crashing through the window, and leaving the house in tears. 

The door burst open, and the Professor stumbled into the room. It was a mess. The boy was holding both a weeping Bubbles, and a ranting, bruised Buttercup while Blossom was nowhere in sight. He looked at the older man sadly. 

"Girls!?" the Professor asked, "What the heck is going on here!?" 

* * * 

The Professor held his face in his hands. His life had fallen apart within less than twenty minutes. He had three traumatized daughters on his hands, one of whom was missing, and someone else's boy on the edge of a nervous breakdown. 

He had finally gotten the entire story, but now, he wasn't so sure if that helped him come to any better solution. He knew that he needed to locate Blossom swiftly though. 

He went to the phone and began dialing the police. "Hello? Yes, I have an emergency. I would like to report a missing person. Blossom? Yeah, the Powerpuff Girl. ASAP, please. Ok. Yes. Yes. Thank you." 

The Professor hung up the phone, letting his head hang for a few moments before going back to the children, and embracing them tightly. "Everything will be alright. You girls canset your problems aside, and everything will be fine. You'll see." 

The two girls nodded dully, and the boy looked out the window worriedly. "I'm going to go look for her. I can't help but feel that I'm the cause for this, all because of my name." 

"I'm going with you," Buttercup offered immediately. Belial looked down at the ground. 

"I don't think she really wants to see you right now, Buttercup," he said. "You said some pretty bad things back there?" 

"Like what?" the Professor prompted. Apparently, they hadn't told him everything. Buttercup looked nervous, and Bubbles withdrew into herself, covering her face with a pillow, and started crying again. The boy sighed and stood. His hand lingered on Buttercup's for a moment before he turned and left the Utonium house. 

* * * 

Blossom sat by the shore, crying into her hands miserably. She hated herself. She hated everyone else for being so cruel to her, not even giving her a chance. No, they tried to, but Buttercup had other plans. Buttercup was so blind sometimes. 

Fittingly enough, drizzle started to fall from gloomy skies around the craggy cove. The water slid off her skin, and dampened her hair. She retreated further into cliffs around the bay, slipping partly under a crag. 

_Maybe I could have said it more clearly ... maybe I could have just hinted, and let her figure it out on her own. Whatever I said or did, I must have done it wrong. "Great with negotiating," indeed, Mrs. Keane. I couldn't even win over my sisters when it counted the most._

_Oh, Buttercup ..._ she heaved a deep sigh. _You must despise me now too along with your hatred and resentment. I guess I don't get much lower than that._

Rain started to fall even harder, until it worked its way up into a full-fledged storm. The rocks around her lit up, and thunder crackled ominously. Again, louder. Blossom had to cover her eyes, and she wiggled back against the cliff. 

Thunder roared in her ears every few seconds or so, but she still managed to hear someone faintly calling out her name. "Blossom? Blossom!" She debated whether to ignore it or not. I can't let them walk around in this storm. Someone would get hurt. 

Blossom floated up partly away from the cliff. Belial was standing at the top, looking down. He hadn't seen her yet. "You!" she growled menacingly, advancing. 

The boy fell back a step fearfully. "Blossom? W - wait, give me a chance! I think I know the answer to your problem!" 

Blossom paused. That wasn't the expected reaction. She crossed her arms, and waited impatiently. Belial took a deep breath and said, "Okay, it's about my dad. I think he's actually 'Him', as crazy as that sounds. I've known him for all my life, and the shoe fits. But I have to take you to my house." 

"This is a lie ..." Blossom said, preparing to go on the offense. He shook his head quickly. "No! I'm not lying! Let's say if I was who I was, would I continue to deceive you right now? What profit would be in it?" 

"To tear us further apart," she filled in. Belial looked sad. 

"If you had been at your house," he said quietly, "you would have seen that it wasn't necessary." 

Blossom stopped. She didn't know what to believe anymore, didn't know if anyone even loved her. Suddenly, she threw her head back and started laughing and laughing and laughing ... the rain felt cool against her skin, and the sky, well, there was a star out. One little, lonely star. 

* * * 

She woke up again. She realized that she had blacked out, and that time had elapsed. Blossom turned her head, groaning slightly, and looked out a window. The rain had stopped. 

Someone helped her sit up. She took a look around; she was in another's disorganized bedroom. Blossom saw that the boy was assisting her, and brushed him off, looking at him suspiciously. He smiled in a sickly fashion, and pulled her to her feet anyway. 

Belial stepped away from her hurriedly. Her doubts about him were starting to disappear now; he gave no trace of acting oddly. She berated herself._ Don't be a fool. _

"I want you to come see my father now. He's home from his ... "work" at the store. But be silent," he cautioned. She followed him out into the hallway, suspending her disbelief for the moment. Blossom walked quietly, and peeked around a corner after he pointed. 

It was a rather rundown house, and this was its living room. A weary woman sat in one chair, not facing the man opposite her. He had tan skin, a black beard, and brilliant green eyes. Although he was human, there was an uncanny resemblance. 

The male crossed his legs and giggled. The lady gave him a black look. He waved a hand offhandly. "Oh, come on in, Blossom. I see you've met one of the progeny of My many forms on this sin-filled planet, hmmm?" 

She stepped into the room, her expression angered._ It is Him. He is the one to blame for this. _Belial walked in with his head down, quite suddenly submissive and withdrawn. His mother leapt up, and swept him into her arms. Blossom looked around herself. Her voice was as cold as the deepest winter as she asked, "Why?" 

"The 'why' is simple, My precious little cherry blossom. You girls are the embodiment of everything nice, and are powerful. But the 'how' was deliciously thought up, don't you think? I do believe I've succeeded this time." 

"I'll go back and tell them ... " she began to threaten. He laughed. 

"Oh, you can, but will they believe you this time either? They'll find that Belial's father has had an accident suddenly, in traffic, around the time you had disappeared. And in their hearts, they're starting to believe that the boy was Me. What will they think?" He grinned at her, His canines looking disturbingly enough like fangs. 

The woman had taken the boy out of the room. Blossom was alone with Him now. A dark anger had been filling her steadily. She remembered Buttercup's blazing green eyes full of bitterness and hostility, Belials hurt look as she accused him, Bubbles' tears at her ruthless actions, and her own face as she looked into the mirror. Blossom had seen someone who had lost control of themself. 

"You are My creature now," He purred. 

"No," she gasped, "No, I'm not! Because Your creatures do evil out of malice while good ones do it out of ignorance! And some people just make mistakes!" 

He raised an eyebrow. "All people makes mistakes, and they use that excuse for justification for their actions. But what you did was partly out of malice. Admit it, Blossom, you were covetous of the boy stealing your sister away. And I remember a certain little Father's Day incident too, yes?" 

Blossom looked at the floor morosely. She found herself almost believing Him -- before remembering who he was. He could twist truth and lies together until there was no distinction. He laughed. 

"I'm not lying, Blossom. The truth in this hurts you more than any lie ever could. You are partly Mine, and in eternity's time, I will have you. Did you know that it is almost impossible for you to die or age? You're next to immortal. You have what these petty humans only dream of ... and you can remain a child forever. No need for grown-up problems or worries about right and wrong if you're only a little girl." His green eyes glittered. 

Blossom shook her head. "A child can damn themself as surely as an adult. Only rightly-born baptized infants are spared. I can at least make my life a moral one." 

"You will give in eventually," He taunted. 

She forgave Buttercup in that instant; they were no better or worse than each other. She wouldn't give herself, no. A deep calm filled her, as if everything was right again. Blossom screamed. In wasn't in fear or rage, but her family would have recognized it; a battle cry. 

His eyes went wide as she launched herself at him. A white light surrounded her, and a beam shot forward from her hands, dissolving unseen magic around Him. Blossom reversed her momentum, and kicked Him across the room. He landed hard against the wall, blood starting to trickle forth. The body was engulfed in flame, and disappeared. 

She hovered in the air, breathing deeply and raggedly. She didn't know what she had done, right then. Blossom guessed that it was another undiscovered superpower, much like her ice breath. The white aura slowly faded, and her thrill of victory died. She was dead exhausted. 

Blossom floated downward peacefully, and curled up on the floor, asleep. Belial came out from around the corner, holding his mother's hand tightly. 

"Is he gone?" the woman asked in a melodious voice. 

"I think so," the boy replied softly, and went over to Blossom, putting a hand against her back lightly. He nodded. "Yeah, there's a heartbeat." 

His mother exhaled a held breath. "We'll never escape him, but we can try to have a regular life for a while. He's got a lot of other children to worry about on this planet than just one. I never knew about your name though; we'll legally change it." 

Belial listened closely, and nodded again. The two smiled tentatively at each other. He turned away to scoop up Blossom in his arms. She hardly weighed anything at all. He blew a kiss to his mother, and left the house again. 

* * * 

Belial walked through the door carrying Blossom over his shoulder. The two girls, and the Professor surrounded him, flooding him with questions and comments. 

The boy set Blossom down gently on the couch, covering her with a blanket, and fluffing her pillow. She looked as weak as he had ever seen a Powerpuff Girl. He turned around, still being babbled at. 

"Where was she? Is she okay? Why is she so pale? Why were you gone for so long? Why aren't you answering us? Belial?" 

"I'm going to give leader girl _such _a pounding for pulling that stunt again... where did you find her? Did she apologize to you?" 

"My little angel! Is she alright? She doesn't look healthy. Maybe I should take her down to the lab instead... " 

"QUIET!" Belial roared, even his tolerance wearing short. Everyone fell silent, stunned at the outburst from him. He smiled. "Alright, now. I found her at the cove. She just fought my father, Him, and won. He's gone now, thankfully. I brought her back here as soon as I found her. There is nothing more to say." 

The boy went over to an unoccupied chair, and sat down heavily. He was tired, and had had a bit too much excitement from today. Buttercup joined him by perching on the armrest. Bubbles took the opposite one, both convinced that there was more to say. The Professor watched over Blossom worriedly, but it was obvious he was listening. 

Belial looked at their expectant faces, and elaborated more until they were satisfied. 

* * * 

Blossom woke up groggily. The room was bright with the newly-risen sun pouring in. She was relieved to see her own living room. _Wait a minute -- newly risen sun? It was been late evening! Apparently, time's passed again._

She looked around, and shook a snoring Buttercup sitting next to her. She whispered quietly in her ear. "Hey. Hey. Get up. Come on, Buttercup, I'm starving." 

"... Ah? Uhn? What?" Buttercup responded intelligently. Her eyes opened, and she yawned hugely. "Huh?" 

"I'm hungry," Blossom complained. She was suddenly caught into a tight hug, and blinked, astonished. "You're awake! We were so worried 'cause you looked so weak last night after fighting Him! You scared us half to death when you ran off like that, and didn't come back." 

"Sorry," Blossom offered. She was just as suddenly being shaken roughly, Buttercup's eyes focused on hers. "And don't you ever do that to us again, ok? Or I'll never let you live it down! I'll make a punishment ten times worse than the Professor's!" 

"Okay, Buttercup," Blossom said, laughing to herself inside. Her sister never displayed any sort of affection to her family without trying to cover it up quickly. "I'm probably in trouble, right?" 

"Loads," Buttercup said with a smirk. "You're grounded for like, a month, even from crimefightin'." 

"Yeah, I expected that," Blossom said passively. "Listen, I'm hungry, and if you're not making breakfast, I am." 

"At six o' clock in the morning?" Buttercup grumbled, but not too loudly. Blossom flew into the kitchen, and got everything ready to cook eggs and toast. As she cooked, Buttercup tried to "help" and was swiftly shooed out of the kitchen. 

"Okay, breakfast is ready," Blossom informed the girl. She had to repeat it several times -- Puppet Pals was on the television. Buttercup sat down at the table along with Blossom. They ate quickly. 

"Hey, this isn't half bad," Buttercup admitted grudgingly. 

Blossom smiled. "High praise from you." 

"And you've got another superpower that we don't," Buttercup said, pushing Blossom in the arm playfully, "Not fair!" 

"Hey, it's not like I ask for them," she responded, floating away and putting their dishes next to the sink. She began to clean the mess she made from cooking. Spontaneously, she looked up at the sunrise through the kitchen window. Buttercup followed what she was looking out. 

"Hey, Buttercup?" she said. 

"Yeah?" 

"I'm really glad that you found a boyfriend in that boy. He's not half bad even though he's not your type," Blossom remarked. 

Buttercup crossed her arms, and tried her best to scowl but it kept on slipping into a smile. "High praise from you, I guess." 

They both laughed together as the sun's rays poured into the room, beginning another day. 

_The End_


End file.
